Story number 1 for 20 May 2003

(Iraq)–In the wake of war in Iraq, key cities are still under the shadow of grinding poverty, food shortages and security issues, which remain a critical concern. World Concern, a Christian humanitarian aid agency, responds through their partners. World Concern’s Peter Sundt. “We have a proposal that we put together with them that is involving supplementary feeding for five thousand families over the next six months. In addition to that, [we’re] scouting out the development opportunities, employment generating opportunities and the things that we think the people of Iraq are really looking for at this time.” Sundt says there are other issues they’re praying about, adding that the window of time they have to work in must be used wisely. “If a lot of foreign Christian groups are involved, and think that maybe now is the time for church planting, and just blast in there to really take advantage of the anarchy, the lack of rules, I think it’ll offend certain sensibilities in the Muslim communities. That has to be changed slowly, over time, and not just rapidly because we have what might be perceived as an ‘opportunity’.”